Spark-plug.



J H. GILL.

SPARK PLUG. APPLICAHON FILED M361, 1916 Patented July m t i M UNITED STATES.

JOHN H. GILL, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

SPARK-PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed August 2, 1916. Serial N o. 112,664.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .loux II. Gum, a citi zen of the United States, residing at No. 326 IlIcLean avenue, Yonkers, in the county of \Vestchester and State of New. York, have invented certain new and useful Improve.- ments in Spark-Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sparlcplitgs and my aim is to provide a superiorarticlc having a number of practical advantages. The principal object of the invention is to provide a spark plug wherein the sparking area will be very largely diffused, so as thereby to result in more etticient and certain ignition of the explosive mixture. A further object is to provide a spark plug which to a very large extent will be self-cleaning and will automatically prevent the deposition of carbon. soot. and oil between the electrodes to thereby impair the effective operation of the device. The improved spark plug is very sturdy and durable in construction.

In order that the invention may be b tter understood attention directed in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application. and in which- Figure I is a side elevation partly in section of a spark plug embodying my pre ent improvements;

Fig. 2 a bottom view of the same;

Fig. 3 a side elevation of the movable electrode. and

Fig. l a bottom view showing a modified form of movable electrode.

In these views corresponding parts are represented by the same reference numerals.

The porcelain 1 cylindrical casing 2 and center rod 3 are of any usual or well known construction. Mounted on the center rod 3, and prcferabl y so as to turn loosely thereon, is an electrode 4: which in practice is located usually slightly within the rim of the cylindrical casing 2. The distance between the periphery of the electrode 4 and the interior ot' the casing 2 is so selected as to give the proper spark. The electrode 4 is provided with a series of teeth or points so as thereby to prodlu-e a multiplicity of sparks ietween the same and the interior of the casing 2. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I show the electrode as being fOlHitClfiVltl'l a sefies of in-' clined vanes 5 like a minute pinwheel, and in Fig. t. I show as a modification an electrode in the form of a five-pointed star. Its

shape may however be very widely modified, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. In actual practice I prefer to mount the electrode so that it may rotate freely on and with respect to the center rod 3 and I therefore prefer to make use of a washer 6 between the electrode and the lower end of the porcelain. The metal of the center rod may be upset at its end as shown at 7 so as to form a lower bearing for the electrode. In actual prart ice the natural vibrations of the engine and the explosions taking place within the cylinder. will cause the electrode 4 to constantly shift its position. so that the sparks between the same and the casing 2 will be distributed in a concentric path extending around the interior of said casing, and thus the path in which the sparks are formed will be always kept clean and free from any deposition of carbon, soot and oil. By making the electrode 4 with a series of wings or vanes as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the successive compressions and explosions within the cylinder will very materially assist in the rotary effect, and therefore in some respects this is the preferred form. It will be understood, of course, that the electrode 3 is to be made of some very hard metal or conducting material,- preferably an alloy of steel and platinum, or it may be made of steel with platinum tips.

It will be further understood that while I refer to the element 1 as a porcelain, it ma. be made of any other insulating materia such as mica, and in the following claims it will be understood that the expression porcelain applies generically to any suitable insulating material for the pur ose.

Having now described in invention, what, I claiin as new therein an desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a spark plug comprisin a fixed annular electrode, an insulating body mounted within the annular electrode and rigidly connected thereto, a rod mounted centrally and rigidly within the insulating body and a disk-like electrode mounted to rotate freely at the lower end of said rod within the annular electrode, said disk-like electrode presenting a multiplicity of points whereby sparking takes place between said points and the 1n nor Wall of the annular electrode, substantially as and for. the purposes set forth.

, 2. As a new article of manufacture, a spark plug comprising a fixed annular electrode, an insuletin bod mounted within the annular eleetro e an rigidly connected thereto, a rod mounted centrally and rigidly within the insulating body end a disk-like electrode mounted to rotate freely at the lower end of said rod within the annular electrode and formed with a series of mdiall inclined fan blades which present a multlplicity of points whereby sparking will take )lace between said pointa and the 10 inner we] of the annular electrode, sub stantially as nnd for the purposes set forth. This specification signed and witnessed this first day of August, 1916.

JOHN H. GILL. Witnesses:

FnANK L. DrEn, M. E. Wonmmnn. 

